Leading up to the Festival weekend, the Knowlton Literary Association organizes guest authors to visit two local schools. This initiative is to celebrate and contribute to the literary culture of the English-speaking community, while bringing the joy of reading and writing directly to students in our community. 

Approximately 60 students at Knowlton Academy will meet with Julia Hune-Brown, who will be presenting her book: Poh Poh's Sword. 

Svens Telemaque will be speaking to approximately 500 secondary school students at Massey-Vanier High School. Telemaque is a transformative keynote speaker and acclaimed author whose inspiring journey from adversity to empowerment resonates deeply with audiences of all ages.

The festival will begin with an informal gathering on Thursday October 15th in the evening, by highlighting local authors at Brome Lake Books, in Knowlton. Four local authors will be presenting their most recent publications:

• Marianne Ackerman
• Tanya Bellhumeur Allatt
• Frank Nixon
• Andrew Retchless

Friday evening, October 16th is the Festival’s opening reception with Whit Fraser in conversation with Paul Workman, Canadian Television Journalist  and former London Bureau Chief for CTV news. Fraser,  a journalist, broadcaster, and 56th Vice Regal Consort of Canada since 2021, as the husband of Governor General, Mary Simon, will speak about his latest book, From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall: Stories of Canada.

Saturday morning October 17th, Romantasy author Heather Fawcett will be in conversation with Sheila Quinn talking about her Emily Wilde series, and newest book Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter. Whether you are a fan, or just learning about this new popular hybrid literary genre, it is a perfect opportunity to hear from one of Romantasy’s bestselling authors.

Saturday afternoon, inspired by the tales of Canada's Filles du Roi, Jennifer Chevalier  will be talking about her debut novel The Winter Witch. Chevalier is the senior producer for CBC Radio’s political affairs program The House by day, and historical fiction writer by night. Chevalier finds great fulfilment in exploring historical narratives that highlight the perseverance and hardships of women during those times.

Also on Saturday afternoon, psychological thriller writer Shari Lapena will be talking about her newest book Getting Away with Murder. This is her tenth thriller, and is widely known as the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door. Lapena’s books have been sold in forty territories around the world. Lapena is a former lawyer and English teacher, and now writes from a farm in Ontario.

At the end of Saturday afternoon, Canadian journalist and a Chief International Correspondent and senior presenter for the BBC, Lyse Doucet, will be in conversation with Louise Penny, talking about her recent book The Finest Hotel in Kabul. When the Inter-Continental Kabul opened in 1969, Afghanistan’s first luxury hotel symbolized a dream of a modernizing country connected to the world. More than fifty years on, the Inter-Continental is still standing. It has endured Soviet occupation, multiple coups, a grievous civil war, a US invasion and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. History lives within its scarred windows and walls, and Doucet recalls many stories from her time as a international correspondent, where the hotel was her home-away-from-home.

On Saturday night, Canadian journalist Michael Posner will be closing out the 2026 festival with a tribute evening to Leonard Cohen. Posner is best known as the author of the Mordecai Richler biography The Last Honest Man, the Anne Murray biography All of Me. On Saturday evening he will be speaking about his three volume biography of Leonard Cohen, which will be interspersed with some of Cohen’s most iconic music, performed by special musical guests.